Tips for Death Star 10188 Build

Bananahead

Hi, My son and I are going to spend the weekend building this. We have done the 10030 Star Destroyer in a weekend in the past but are looking for an estimate of an average build time. Also are there any tips we should be aware for the build, we were lucky enough to get a factory sealed set so really looking forward to it! Thanks, the Bananaheads

Furrysaurus

i seem to recall that took me about 16 hours over the course of the weekend.  admittedly i was playing with the hounds for portions of it.   typically i don't pre-sort parts, but that one i got about a quarter of the way in and had to stop and sort everything out.  

Natebw

Me and my kids are building this now and it is talking FOR EVER. Of course, I am not complaining because someone gave me the set for free, but none of the pieces are sorted. So I alternate between building and sorting, building and sorting.

HokieJoe99

It took me and my daughter Episode IV, Episode V, and Episode VI to build. 

bobabricks

I have a problem with leaving a set unbuilt for the night, so I binge-built it in 12 hours with dinner/lunch breaks. :P

Bananahead

Thanks for all the comments, we did the Star Destroyer 10030 last year, it was unsorted and took around 20 hours. We are about to start the Death Star now....

legomatt

Look out for the exhaust port, right below the main port. It's a notorious weak spot in the design, and might want a bit of reinforcing. ;0P

red237

My 7 year old built this one weekend in about 12 hours total.  I agree with legomatt, and also, we got out a heavy duty meat cutting board as a base that we could really use as couterweight - As you build it is important to have everything tamped down/ squeezed down tight, or it will be frustrating as you move up to make sure everything is level for connecting.

 With all the bags it became important to sort out the parts as he went along, i started sorting for him about halfway through as he got bored of doing it.

legomatt

(I was just suggesting he guard against proton torpedoes). ;0)

masterX244

and: boxes for all the parts, better than piles or the default bags;
less risk of escapists and easier to move around when needed
(some pictures of when i was building it)
http://nplusc.de/10188/20151229_154012.jpg
http://nplusc.de/10188/20151230_112428.jpg

Bananahead

masterX244 said:

and: boxes for all the parts, better than piles or the default bags;
less risk of escapists and easier to move around when needed
(some pictures of when i was building it)
http://nplusc.de/10188/20151229_154012.jpg
http://nplusc.de/10188/20151230_112428.jpg

Thanks for the pictures masterX244, looks a pretty tight building space. We have taken over the kitchen, we did about 3 hours last night. But then a remembered I had beer in the fridge, beer and lego is not a good mix.

Bananahead

legomatt said:

Look out for the exhaust port, right below the main port. It's a notorious weak spot in the design, and might want a bit of reinforcing. ;0P

Thanks, where is this located, the exhaust port, please?

Renegade007cjh

Bananahead said:

legomatt said:

Look out for the exhaust port, right below the main port. It's a notorious weak spot in the design, and might want a bit of reinforcing. ;0P

Thanks, where is this located, the exhaust port, please?

It's a joke about the actual Death Star, rather than a flaw in the LEGO build :)

Bananahead

I think we gathered that after half an hour on Google!!!

TechnicMan

Bananahead said:

masterX244 said:

and: boxes for all the parts, better than piles or the default bags;
less risk of escapists and easier to move around when needed
(some pictures of when i was building it)
http://nplusc.de/10188/20151229_154012.jpg
http://nplusc.de/10188/20151230_112428.jpg

Thanks for the pictures masterX244, looks a pretty tight building space. We have taken over the kitchen, we did about 3 hours last night. But then a remembered I had beer in the fridge, beer and lego is not a good mix.

Oh I don't know, I quite often have a beer when I'm building ;o)

masterX244

Bananahead said:

masterX244 said:

and: boxes for all the parts, better than piles or the default bags;
less risk of escapists and easier to move around when needed
(some pictures of when i was building it)
http://nplusc.de/10188/20151229_154012.jpg
http://nplusc.de/10188/20151230_112428.jpg

Thanks for the pictures masterX244, looks a pretty tight building space. We have taken over the kitchen, we did about 3 hours last night. But then a remembered I had beer in the fridge, beer and lego is not a good mix.

boxes help even when you got enough space, round parts are nicely trapped inside em (especially those pesky technic pins & axles) and im used to my floor space already, could have gotten some more space but lazyness...